Injuries to soft tissue and surrounding bones and joints are quite common. In particular, damage to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the acromioclavicular (AC) joint, and other similar soft-tissue-to-bone connection sites are very common. Such damage may occur during participation in contact sports, a traumatic event, such as a car accident, or through general wear and tear within a joint. Typically, the soft tissue injury occurs at the soft-tissue-to-bone connection site at or near the surface of the bone.
To continue the example of a damaged ACL, when an ACL undergoes an event sufficient to cause such a tear, replacement or reconstructive ACL surgery is normally required, which will replace the damaged ACL with a new soft tissue graft. The graft is secured to the tibia and femur through a variety of known methods and devices. In many such surgeries, bone tunnels are drilled through the tibia and femur, and the tissue graft is secured within the tunnels.
One such implant which is presently used to secure a tissue graft within a bone tunnel is a tissue implant commonly referred to as a button anchor. As is well known in the art, the button anchor, in the case of a ligament replacement surgery, attaches to the tissue graft directly or with a suture or other material and suspends a portion of the graft within the bone tunnel. The remainder of the graft spans the joint and attaches to a second bone in any known fashion. The button anchor itself is positioned at the exit of the bone tunnel and rests against the surface of the bone, forming a secure platform from which the graft is held. However, one difficulty with current button anchors is the ability to properly place the button anchor against the surface of the bone in an efficient manner.